diff --git a/thunderbird.spec b/thunderbird.spec
index 93ec7d9..b3f7159 100644
--- a/thunderbird.spec
+++ b/thunderbird.spec
@@ -560,6 +560,7 @@ MOZ_SMP_FLAGS=-j1
 
 export MOZ_MAKE_FLAGS="$MOZ_SMP_FLAGS"
 export STRIP=/bin/true
+export PYTHON=python3.11
 export MACH_BUILD_PYTHON_NATIVE_PACKAGE_SOURCE=system
 ./mach build -v